Free agent qualifying offers set at $15.3 million

The price of qualifying offers to eligible free agents has riven to $15.3 million. That is up from the $14.1 million from a year ago reports the Associated Press.

Baseball’s labour contract sets the price at the average of the 125 highest contracts by average annual value.

Clubs have until 5 pm ET on the fifth day following the World Series to make a qualifying offer to players. Players will then have until 5 pm ET on the 12th day following the World Series to accept.

Players who reject the offer and then sign with another club prior to the June amateur draft will net their old team a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round. The club signing the player will lose its first round pick unless their pick is in the top 10.

None of the 22 qualifying offers made after the last two seasons were accepted.